Oetzi the Iceman may have been ceremonially buried

The prehistoric hunter known as Oetzi the Iceman may have been ceremonially buried on a high Alpine pass rather than killed there in a deadly ambush, experts say.

Researchers believe they have found evidence which shows that Oetzi, named after the Oetz Valley in which he was found, died lower down the valley, probably violently, but was then carried up to the 10,500ft high pass for a ceremonial burial.

The new theory suggests that he may have been an important figure in his tribe or village, possibly a chieftain.

After being frozen in ice for 5,300 years, Oetzi’s remains, along with a treasure trove of prehistoric artefacts, were found in a remarkable state of preservation by two German hikers in 1991, close to the modern day border between Italy and Austria....